December 3, 2025 — 3:15pm
Save
You have reached your maximum number of saved items.
Remove items from your saved list to add more.
Save this article for later
Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime.
Got it
Hundreds of cancer specialists walked out of major Queensland hospitals on Wednesday to protest proposed allowance cuts that would amount to wage losses of nearly $30,000 a year.
The workers included more than 300 radiation therapists and nuclear medicine scientists – experts who deliver targeted cancer treatment and pain-relief during palliative care – across hospitals in Brisbane, Townsville and the Sunshine Coast.
Radiation therapists who walked out of Princess Alexandra Hospital on Wednesday in protest of the pay cut. Courtney Kruk
Nearly 40 radiation specialists marched out of Princess Alexandra Hospital at midday, while about 50 nuclear scientists gathered at the Botanic Gardens near Parliament House.
The former Labor government introduced an allowance for radiation therapists in 2022 to recognise their specialised skills and increased scope of work.
A similar interim allowance was negotiated for nuclear medicine scientists before the 2024 state election, and is due to expire at the end of December.
Both amount to about $30,000 a year in pay.
According to the United Workers’ Union, the LNP government has said it will not include the allowance in the next enterprise bargaining agreement, which has been under negotiation since April.
The union’s Queensland Health and Ambulance Co-ordinator Fiona Scalon feared removing the allowance would lead to an exodus from the highly skilled professions, with some members telling the union they would move interstate if the cuts go ahead.
“A $30,000 pay cut is nothing to be sneezed at,” she said.
Related Article
“To have that stripped away means our people are going to be paid significantly less than the people doing the same work in other parts of the country.
“[It] shows how little Queensland Health values their expertise.”
Amelia Campbell, a radiation therapist at the Princess Alexandra Hospital, was among staff who walked out on Wednesday. She said the hospital treats about 130 cancer patients a day.
“It’s sad that today we’ve had to walk out to send a message that we want to continue to do this job, but we really need to keep our pay because if we don’t, it will be the patients who suffer,” she said.
“We’re not actually asking for any more [money], we’re asking to keep what we currently have.”
Amelia Campbell has been a radiation therapist for nearly 20 years.Courtney Kruk
Heath Foley was part of a cohort of radiation therapists who threatened to resign in 2003 over government inaction.
“We were the lowest paid [radiation therapists] in Australia,” he said.
“We had huge waiting lists … and we couldn’t attract any workers.
“I don’t understand why the government wants to gamble with that. We’re going to be one of the lowest paid if we lose this allowance.”
Radiation therapists walked off the job at Princess Alexandra Hospital on Wednesday.Courtney Kruk
Health Minister Tim Nicholls said Queensland Health remained at the bargaining table and respected the right of union members to take protected industrial action.
Queensland Health has asked for assistance from the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission to help reach an agreement with workers.
Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.
Save
You have reached your maximum number of saved items.
Remove items from your saved list to add more.
Most Viewed in NationalFrom our partners